Mormons Tipped Scale in Ban on Gay Marriage — SACRAMENTO — Less than two weeks before Election Day, the chief strategist behind a ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage in California called an emergency meeting here. — “We're going to lose this campaign if we don't get more money …

What Happens If You're on the Gay “Enemies List” — Ever since a slim majority outlawed gay marriage in California, opponents have waged national protests and petitions, urging the judicial system to reconsider the results of the Nov. 4 referendum. (Proposition 8 overturned an earlier decision …

DEMINT TARGETS MCCAIN.... As Republicans continue to search for answers to explain what happened in this year's elections, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint (R) stepped up to become the first high-profile Republican official to blame John McCain for his defeat. — That, in and of itself …

Spam Turns Serious and Hormel Turns Out More — AUSTIN, Minn. — The economy is in tatters and, for millions of people, the future is uncertain. But for some employees at the Hormel Foods Corporation plant here, times have never been better. They are working at a furious pace and piling up all the overtime they want.

Interesting Times — George Packer writes about foreign affairs, politics, and books. — KILCULLEN ON AFGHANISTAN: “IT'S STILL WINNABLE, BUT ONLY JUST.” — I wrote about David Kilcullen two years ago, in a piece called “Knowing the Enemy.” Few experts understand counterinsurgency …

Obama's Talk With Clinton Starts Buzz — WASHINGTON — The end of the presidential campaign seemed to signal the completion of the Obama-Clinton drama. But now it turns out there could be a surprise ending. — Advisers to the onetime rivals for the Democratic nomination confirmed Friday …

Post-Guantánamo: A New Detention Law? — As a presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama sketched the broad outlines of a plan to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba: try detainees in American courts and reject the Bush administration's military commission system.

Democrats Scale Back Stimulus Goals Until Jan. 20 — Congressional Democrats yesterday abandoned plans to offer a wide-ranging economic stimulus plan next week, putting off any chance that the federal government would provide a major jolt to the economy until after President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in Jan. 20.

Change You Can Conceive In — Could euphoric Obama fans be sparking a baby boom? … From the magazine issue dated Nov 24, 2008 — The theory is almost too perfect to be true. Barack Obama, the son of politically progressive parents, was born Aug. 4, 1961—almost nine months …

Begich lead increases in race for Senate — Mark Begich has extended his lead over Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to 1,022 votes with the latest count of absentee and questioned ballots. The Elections Division counted 14,508 ballots today. The count of absentee and questioned ballots will pick up Tuesday.

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